the object. Zeal for liis reformation or punishment What revenge, (cVStKryo-ts,) vincllcUve justice. One of the sentiments which godly sorrow had aroused in them was the sense of justice, the moral judgment that sin ought to be punished. This is an instinctive feeling, one belonging to our moral con- stitution, and therefore a revelation of the nature and will of God. The ground of the punishment of sin is not expediency, nor is it primarily the benefit of the offender, but the satisfac- tion of justice, or the inherent evil of sin which from its own nature, and apart from the evil consequences of impunity, de- serves i^unishment. Of the six particulars introduced by (dAAa) yea in this verse, according to Bengel, Meyer and others, " clearing of yourselves " and " indignation " relate to the feelings of the Corinthians towards themselves ; " fear " and " vehement desire " to their feelings towards the apostle ; and "zeal" and "revenge" to their feelings towards the offender. According to Olshausen, the " apology " relates to their con- duct ; the "indignation" to their feelings in view of the crime which had been committed; the "fear" to God's displeasure ; the "desire" and "zeal" to their feelings towards the apostle, and " revenge " the consequence of all the preceding.
Jn all things, (Iv Trai/rt,) in every respect, or, in every point of view. Ye have lyroved yourselves, (o-weo-rr/o-arc,) you have set yourselves forth, shown yourselves to be (Gal. 2, 18) clear, (ayi/ovs,) pure, free from guilt. In this matter, or, (with- out the Iv, which the older MSS. omit,) as to the matter. The Corinthians proved themselves to be free from the sin of ap- proving or in any way countenancing the crime in question. Their sin consisted in not more promptly excluding the of- fender from their communion. This whole passage, however, is instructive as presenting a clear exhibition of the intimate nature of church fellowship. One member committed an of- fence. The whole church repents. The godly sorrow which the apostle describes was the sorrow of the church. The ef- fects which that sorrow wrought were common to the church as such. That believers are one body in Christ Jesus, and "everyone members one of another," so that "if one member suffers all the members suffer with it," is matter of actual experience.
12. Wherefore, though I wrote unto you, (I did it) not for his cause that had done the wrong, nor for his